The Thorn Birds movie 33 | But if you go, your light can burn for us

Quotes from film part 33

It's no good, Rain. Let's just not talk about it anymore, all right? Mrs. O'Neill, your mother and I would like to speak with you. Please. Meggie, Jussie's in a very bad way. She's got it into her head somehow that Dane's death is her fault. She insists she must give up the theater and me and stay here with you on Drogheda. She won't listen to us but if you will help her see that My son is dead! How can you ask anything of me now? Yes, Dane is dead and we also mourn him. But you still have a daughter. She needs you very much right now. She needs to know that you don't blame her so that she can take up her life again. Mr. Hartheim, I don't know why she feels to blame. But Jussie has never listened to anything that I had to say. She feels to blame because she sent Dane off swimming so that she could be alone with me. I love her, Mrs. O'Neill. And Dane died at the very moment she finally understood that she could be loved. If you won't help her, she'll waste her life away here on Drogheda trying to make it up to you for living while he died. Mr. Hartheim, I should like to speak to my daughter alone. Of course. For years I've sat by and watched you do all the things that I did. Crying for a man that you could never have. Giving all your love to his son, the way I gave mine to Frank. Neglecting Jussie, as I neglected you. You've lived your life as I did mine. Driven, always driven! I don't know, and never will how much of our lives we're allowed to choose how much is decided long before we're born. But looking back, I see now choices I could've made and didn't! Even after Paddy died. Even after I lost Frank. I might have asked your forgiveness years ago. But it's too late for me now, Meggie. But it's not too late for you. And it's not too late for Jussie, if you'll help her! I've always loved this place. When I was little, I used to make believe it was a stage. My very own stage, where I was the star. I never knew that. No, you wouldn't. No one did. Except Dane. Poor Dane. I'd go on and on, and he'd applaud. When I was little, I thought God lived here. I'd steal in very quietly, hoping to catch him out. So I could see him. He was always too quick for me. Do you know I learned to dance on this very floor? Your father taught me. He laughed because I didn't know how, even though I was 20-something. Did you ever love him, Mom? Not enough to marry him. And I did wrong to marry him, Jussie. And no matter what he may have done to me he wasn't what I wanted, and I couldn't love him for what he was. Jussie, I've made you pay so dearly for being his child and for so many of my other sins that you know nothing of. And now you think you have to pay for Dane's death, too. He was coming back to you. If it weren't for me, you'd have him back. Jussie, no. I sent him out there all alone. I didn't go with him. He was drowning, and Rain and I were Jussie, it wasn't your fault! Dane wasn't a child. He wasn't your responsibility. I don't know why you always thought he was. Because he was. I did love Dane. Truly I did. But I was always afraid that something bad was going to happen to him. Because I used to wish that he were gone so you would love me instead. I asked what more God could do to me. Now I know. Jussie, you must listen to me. I do love you. I always have. But I've always hurt you. And I'm not going to hurt you now by pretending that I didn't love Dane more. I did. But you're no more to blame for that than you are for his death. Don't think of staying here on Drogheda. Please, I need to be what comfort to you I can. It cannot comfort me to watch you hand me your life like a sacrifice. What I need most is your forgiveness. You have your work. And you have the love of a man who will never break your heart. That's more than most of us get in a lifetime. Don't give it up for anything. And least of all for me. But how can I leave you here grieving for Dane. You must. To give us hope. A light has gone out. Not just for me, but for all of us. We will spend who knows how long in mourning it. But if you go, your light can burn for us. Knowing that will bring an end to our mourning. My precious girl. When we go there'll be no one. Drogheda will go on with new people. But there'll be no one left to remember what it was like for us. Best go out and see how dry that grass has got. I'll come out when I get back. Bye, Nana Fee. Come back next Christmas if you can. Always. Where's Ralph? He isn't returning to Rome. He asked that we go on without him. He's very ill, Mrs. O'Neill. He asked for you. Be happy, Jus. Thank you.